Where to go from here.

[micls]

Advice from an outsider

1) Forget about the blame game, it does no-one any good
2) Get involved. In every club there are loads who can shout loudly and few willing to do the work. Put your name forward as a volunteer tonight and take it as your personal responsibility to sort out your club. Dont leave it to someone else and regret it later on
3)Fundraise. You have a year to sort yourselves out for a license next year. Try to have one event every month, even if its something very small and a few big events. Less games means people will have more time on their hands, have fundraisers the nights you would have games. This is ye're chance to sort out your club.
4)Use the A championship as a springboard. You only have to finish in the top 4(once your ahead of non reserve teams) to get to the playoff. Use the time to get yourselves back to being a Cobh team. The best local talent, who's friends and parents will want to see them play and become part of the community.

If ye do this right, and use this year wisely, this demotion could be the best thing to ever happen to your club.

It's up to ye. Best of Luck

[pineapple stu]

Advice from an outsider

It's happened to lots of clubs before (Boston, Halifax and Swindon in England, for example). No reason Cobh can't bounce back.

[bellavistaman]

We will bounce back!! FACT!

[pcplod]

We will bounve back with the right people leading us we will be stronger thean ever

[oldyouth]

I feel sorry for the Cobh supporters. Best of luck lads. See you next year

[rambler14]

The A League is not the place to go from here in my opinion.
I'd never thought i'd say this but I would really like to see the club apply for a place in the Munster Senior League even though it won't be in the Premier Division, it will be 1st Division.
The A league is crock of sh!te. You play 2 competitions over a 4 or 5 month period and you are not entitled to a place in the FAI Cup.
Where as in the MSL:
-It's more competitive
-It's a longer season
-More attractive to players(I say this because at least 5 of last years players who were training with Dave Hill are now leaving for pastures new in the MSL with Blarney)
-It's more cost effective....Would ya rather go to Rockmount or Harps under our budget??
-There are more competitions. 7 if i'm not mistaken. Including entry to the FAI Cup!

Ramblers should only join the MSL for a short-term period as I feel it would be best in order for us to get us back on our feet.

I'm going to put this idea forward at the AGM and I would like to get your reactions please!

[MainManRam]

Its a really big call R14.

What happens if we drop out?
How easy is it to get back in to LOI football?
What implications would there be?

I dont know much about the ins and outs so you might inform me?

[jebus]

I'm not a 100% sure on this but I think Junior clubs or MSL clubs or whoever have to apply to enter the A League to get in to the First Division anyway, so if Cobh wnat back in the LoI it's best for them to go straight in to the A League and work from there

I agree that the 5 months season and lack of cup competitions is nonsense however, but as an outsider I genuinely think Cobh's next step should be in the A League

[holidaysong]

-It's more cost effective....Would ya rather go to Rockmount or Harps under our budget??

You're distorting the picture there, the A Championship is regionalised. Like Jebus said, without knowing the ins and outs of the MSL I'd opt for the A Championship. At least it gives you a base from which to lauch yourself back into the league. If you were to finish in the top 4 in your group you could be back in 12 months!

[rambler14]

You're distorting the picture there, the A Championship is regionalised.

OK would ya rather stay in Cork or travel around Munster or even head to Dublin like or A Team had to do numerous times last year!

[jebus]

OK would ya rather stay in Cork or travel around Munster or even head to Dublin like or A Team had to do numerous times last year!

That's a fair point, but if Cobh need to apply for the A Division like Salthill and Mervue had to before getting a shot to get back in to the First Division would it not be better for the club to do this next season and get back to the LoI asap?

[holidaysong]

OK would ya rather stay in Cork or travel around Munster or even head to Dublin like or A Team had to do numerous times last year!

Still though I think the main benfit of the A Championship (allowing promotion into the LOI) outweighs such a negative.

[pineapple stu]

The A league is crock of sh!te. You play 2 competitions over a 4 or 5 month period and you are not entitled to a place in the FAI Cup.

You are entitled to a spot in the FAI Cup; the Second Round, to be precise.

Surely less competitive would be good for youz if you want to get back into the league?

Fourth is good enough for promotion (or was last year); that's a handy target for a start.

[bellavistaman]

Na has to be A championship, the day we have MSL in colmans is the day rams dies in my opinion.

[chimpster]

Na has to be A championship, the day we have MSL in colmans is the day rams dies in my opinion.

Agreed. Unfortunately we in Cork have a slightly inflated sense of the importance and quality of the MSL. Ultimately, its a bit of a football backwater. If we go this road, I reckon we'll be at least 3 years from a comeback, and a lot more if the crowds desert us.

Proposal: Compete in the A-League and FAI Cup and extend an open invitation to every club in England, Scotland and the North for pre-season games. Hold mini-tournaments if necessary. Anything to generatee at least 20 home games over the season.

[razor]

I would really like to see the club apply for a place in the Munster Senior League even though it won't be in the Premier Division,

But rambler14 does this mean waiting til August/September before the start of next season? Its a long time without any competetive football.

Unfortunately we in Cork have a slightly inflated sense of the importance and quality of the MSL.

Maybe so, but the top teams in the MSL have proven themselves to be the top non league teams in the country.
It must be all them Intermediate Cup wins.